The European Union is preparing to lift some of its sanctions on Syria in a phased approach following the dramatic ouster of President Bashar al-Assad last month, Al Jazeera reports, citing France’s foreign minister.
The move, discussed at a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels on Monday, is aimed at helping stabilize the country after years of devastating civil war.
Al-Assad’s 54-year family rule ended abruptly on December 8 when a swift offensive toppled his regime, ending a 13-year conflict that has left much of Syria in ruins and the population impoverished. The conflict was marked by widespread human rights abuses, including torture and the use of chemical weapons, leading to Syria’s isolation as a pariah state.
In 2011, the EU and the United States imposed crippling sanctions on Syria, cutting off the country’s access to capital markets and trade revenues. These restrictions effectively severed Syria’s formal economy from the global market.
Now, with Al-Assad gone, the EU is signaling a significant shift in its policy. The plan involves a gradual rollback of sanctions to provide financial relief to the new Syrian government. This government is currently led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a coalition of former rebel groups.
However, the EU’s support is not unconditional. The lifting of sanctions is contingent on whether HTS demonstrates a commitment to human rights and democratic norms. EU leaders will be closely monitoring the coalition’s actions.
The French foreign minister stressed that the success of this plan also relies heavily on the United States easing its own sanctions on Syria. The US sanctions, similar to the EU’s, have severely hampered the Syrian economy.
